Photo Album
by zZznoobwriterzZz
Summary: Natsume, a landscape photographer, was FORCED to take pictures of Ruka's sister's wedding,. He didn't expect that he'd end up taking a snapshot of a brunette with sad hazel eyes, thus marking the start of everything. not good with summaries. PLEASE READ!
1. Chapter 1

**DISCLAIMER:** Gakuen alice is not mine. Never will. ;p

Note: slightly OOC.

_*click* _

A huge mirror reflecting the vast coral sky, sheltering infinite amount of breathing sea creatures, an emerald place where different animals populate, can be witnessed through this seemingly perfect image produced by a certain raven haired young man.

"Natsume!" called his best friend Ruka.

The unsullied and cool wind danced to this handsome man's body as he gazed at the breathtaking view that he had successfully captured. Looking at these landscapes make his heart calm for reasons unknown even to him. This crimson eyed young man had been a landscape photographer since he had his first SLR camera but never did he grow tired of immortalizing their splendor.

"What?" replied the photographer with a hint of petulance in his voice. He knew what Ruka wanted and he already knew his answer.

"Will you please be the photographer for my sister's wedding?" pleaded the handsome blonde lad.

"How many times do I need to answer NO until you understand that I am not interested?" the raven haired man coldly answered his best friend. Ruka knew that Natsume didn't like taking pictures of people unless it's necessary but decided to plead him anyway.

"Come on man, this is my sister's wedding! I know that you don't like taking photos of people but please understand that I wouldn't have asked you if the wedding is not tomorrow!" Ruka said with panic perceived from his voice.

"Hn. Ok but I won't photograph your wedding." Natsume uttered with a smirk on his face.

"Haha! Well, it's alright since you're my best man when that time comes" the sapphire eyed Ruka proudly announced.

They continued talking and Ruka told his 'best man' the details of the wedding tomorrow. For a guy, Ruka is rather garrulous. He would talk about random things but most of them were about his pets. You can obviously see glitters in his eyes whenever he would narrate about his dear 'usa-chan'. Many people are still wondering on how these two men became close friends given that they have very contradicting personalities.

In contrast to his companion's 'light' personality, Natsume had an eerie aura surrounding him. He rarely smiles and is indeed a man of few words. He always has his pokerface on and he tends to be unemotional. Though he is like this, he becomes a totally different person when he is holding his camera. You can observe his fiery passion and dedication as he click on his SLR and produce enchanting images.

_*buzz buzz*_

"I guess this is my cue. Hey Natsume! Don't forget to be at my house before 6 AM tomorrow so we'll arrive at the church on time, you know it's out of town and we cannot afford to be late or my sister will kill me!". Ruka stated.

"Hn." Natsume lazily replied as he turned his eyes to the view before him.

"I'll take that as a yes. Well, goodbye!" Ruka shouted as he gestured a wave.

* * *

Natsume drove with his bestfriend to the province where the wedding will take place. He had to admit that going there was a good decision. The place seemed unaffected by urbanization and the view was remarkable. He was lost in his thoughts when his eyes landed on a spot outstanding the others that he had seen.

"Natsume where are you going?!" the blonde young man shouted as he asked.

Natsume left the driver seat and grabbed his camera to rush towards the view that captivated his eyes.

"Go on first Ruka, I promise to be at the wedding on time." Natsume announced with a tone of excitement.

"Ok but be sure to keep your promise."Ruka sighed. He knew that asking Natsume to stay would be pointless since he saw his eyes that are filled with thrill and passion. He loved seeing his best friend like this so he didn't try to argue anymore.

A jade hill towering a whole village that appears to be emitting a blazing orange ball with an enormous sakura tree in the middle had caught the attention of our photographer. The place seemed simple and plain but it gave a very sad ambiance that made him more enthusiastic on taking its picture. The surroundings made the view even more astounding and it seems that everything fell flawlessly into the right position to make this scenery heavenly.

He was about to capture this panorama when he noticed a brunette standing near the sakura tree. Her long auburn hair toss around her face as her dress swayed with the breeze. Natsume felt his heart skip a beat when the woman's sad chocolate eyes met his scarlet ones.

_*click*_

He accidentally captured the moment.

He was about to say something when his phone rang.

"Hello?" the voice over the line said.

"Great timing Ruka." Natsume said sarcastically.

"I called to remind you not to be late, the wedding starts in two hours and you're still nowhere to be found!" his friend alarmingly said.

"I'm already on my way." Natsume lied.

"Oh I see. Sorry for bothering you then. Bye!" Ruka dropped the call.

Natsume stared at his phone for a while till he remembered his encounter with a certain brunette. He tilted his head to where the young woman stood and noticed that she wasn't there anymore. He approached the sakura tree and tried to look for her only to end up disappointed.

Frustrated, he decided to head to the wedding.

* * *

The wedding was very tranquil and peaceful. The motif was underwater because of the bride's cerulean eyes that captivated the groom at first sight. Almost everyone was dressed in blue and the event gave a mellow sensation. There was a pool of joyful faces and lots of people were entranced by the harmonious melody created by the pianist. Everyone was enjoying the occasion except for a certain photographer.

"smile." Natsume boredly said.

_*click*_

Although he was now taking pictures at the wedding, he wasn't able to fully concentrate on his work. Every time he lets his mind focus on the occasion before him, it would only take minutes for his brains to remember the sad eyes of the auburn haired woman he 'met' earlier.

"Natsume!" called a very familiar voice.

"Are you okay? You seem a little bit off today." He continued with worry traced from his voice.

"No I'm fine" the photographer tried to sound a LITTLE bit cheerful for his anxious best friend.

"I'm really sorry for making you do something you don't like" Ruka said with a frown.

"I told you its fine and besides I get to see some amazing places here." Natsume stated as recalled his meeting with the mysterious woman by the sakura tree.

"It's good that you enjoyed yourself. How about we go grab something to eat?" His friend said obviously relieved from what Natsume declared.

"You go ahead, I'm not yet finished taking pictures of _your_ guests." Natsume teasingly said.

"Oh ok, I'll be at our table if ever you decide to have a break" Ruka said with a chuckle.

Natsume continued on taking candid photos of the guests. One of the reasons why he hated taking pictures of people, specifically the females, was because they just can't keep themselves from flirting with him. It was like the girls are 'tainting' the 'innocence' of his pictures. After an hour he decided to head to their table where his friends were eating.

"So you finally decided to stop flirting with those girls eh?" his friend, Koko, teased.

The round bluish white table to where he headed was occupied by his friends. Seated to where he was looking was Koko, he was the joker of the group though he would be gullible even to the most obvious lie. Next to him was his girlfriend, Sumire. She used to be sending Natsume love signals when they were still in high school but now it's good news that she's over it. Kitsuneme and their class president Yuu was also present in the table. He sat next to Ruka who was still blushing over what his girlfriend, Hotaru - who was seating next to him, said.

He had few friends but it didn't bother him because he knew they can be trusted. He met most of them when they were still in high school and until now their friendship never faded.

"No" Natsume's bored reply, "how can I do that when I'm still going out with your sister?".

Koko became silent for a while till he realized what Natsume said and then he finally stuttered "H-hey!".

The people seated in the table can't help but laugh at Koko's blood-drained and obviously terror-stricken face. They knew Natsume was joking but they didn't think Koko would react so seriously about the gag.

"Thank you Natsume for being the photographer today, it really means a lot to me and my sister" Ruka humbly said.

"Hn. I told you it's alright now stop acting gay, your girlfriend's watching." Natsume replied as he started to get some food.

They continued to eat and reminisced about their high school life. Koko was doing all the talking and the rest just went with his silly remarks. Natsume had to admit that being the photographer for this wedding wasn't the slightest a bad decision. He never had the time to be with his friends and never was able to feel like this again.

* * *

"Yes Ruka, tell your sister that the photos will be available tomorrow." Natsume tiredly replied. "Yeah sure, ok I need to finish developing these pictures. Bye."

After the reception, Natsume went home directly and to his darkroom. Developing the pictures - that was definitely the best part of being a photographer for him. A smile of satisfaction will never fail to creep up its way to his mouth every time he sees the picture he had created.

Too bad no one was able to appreciate this very rare smile.

He looked at what he had created one by one, trying to see if everything came out fine. He flipped another picture and that was when he was stunned.

Yes, stunned. Unable to move nor divert his eyes from the picture that he was currently holding at. Needless to say what that picture was.

It was a picture of a brunette who had his hair swaying with the wind and she looked as if she was staring deep through the scarlet eyes of the young photographer. This picture had obtained every interest in Natsume. Just one look at the picture, he was able to forget about his tiredness. Curiosity owns him right now but there was another thing besides curiosity that made him stare at the picture. It was something he himself didn't understand but if there was one thing he was sure about, it was the fact that this feeling was something new to him and trying to put this feeling into words will definitely be useless.

He brought the picture to his room and held onto it.

'_i'll definitely find you._'

Those were the last words that escaped his lips before his eyelids betrayed him and made him go to sleep. He was determined to look for this woman who made his heart skip a beat..._for the very first time._

**_Authors note :_**

Hello guys! this is my first fic though i've been roming around for a long time already.I hope you like my fic and i'll try to update as soon as I can. My laziness owns me most of the time though..hehe..;p

so comments and suggestions are very much welcome. i welcome flaming too. :)

review please ^^

i apologize for my grammar lapses since writing isn't my forte. Anyways I hope you enjoyed it. \^v^/


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: **Gakuen Alice is not mine, unfortunately.

Note: Slightly OOC.

Chapter 2: Umbrella

* * *

'_Who in the world are you?_'

This was the question that Natsume Hyuuga kept on asking the brunette in the picture that he was currently holding. It was the same picture that he held for almost a week now. At that span of time, his mind was always thinking about the lady with weary eyes. It was like his mind was a boomerang and the one throwing it was the brunette. Every time his mind would wander off and think about other things, it'd always go back to her; but he knew he didn't hate it. _He wanted to find her._

*_knock knock_*

Finally, he was able to snap out from his trance.

"Hey Natsume! Are the pictures ready yet?" Koko asked as he walked towards Natsume. "Ruka asked me to get them since he's busy for this week."

Natsume's apartment was bigger than normal and it was even spacious enough for a small family. The living room was simple but well-designed. It had a decent set of entertainment appliances opposite the couch where the photographer was seated. A circular glass table could be found at the center where the photos from the wedding were placed.

Natsume didn't answer his friend's query instead he shifted his eyes from the brunette to the pile of photographs placed at the top of the table.

"Oh so I think they are more than ready." He continued with a chuckle as he looked at what Natsume was staring at. He sat at one of the couches and began scanning the photos.

"Hn." was Natsume's sluggish reply.

Koko, who was disturbed by his friend's comment, stopped flipping the pictures and irritatingly said, "What's bothering you man? You barely hanged out with us after the wedding and now you're acting like a woman PMSing or something! And what's with that worried look on your face? It doesn't suit you at all!" He stared at his friend while waiting for his explanation.

Natsume stayed silent and started reflecting on what Koko said. He honestly didn't notice that he had been acting like that until someone shoved it into his face. He felt guilt and disappointment speared its way through his heart.

"You see, there's this woman that I'm looking for," He uttered with a straight face while trying to hide his frustration. "It's been a week now and I've found not a single clue."

"I-I see," Koko responded with surprise hinted from his voice. It was the first time he heard Natsume mention something about a girl and seeing him act like that wasn't something he sees frequently. He felt somewhat ashamed for asking his friend about something that might be too personal.

"I don't know why I'm looking for her but I-"

"So, what does she look like?" Koko cut his friend from further talking about something he wasn't comfortable sharing. It was kind of ironic how someone as comical as Koko could be shockingly sensitive. He decided to continue scanning through the wedding photos as he listened for his friend's response.

After a pause of silence, the photographer finally answered.

"Long russet hair, pale skin and hazel eyes that seems to see right through me." Natsume muttered as the memory of their meeting flashed through his head.

He could've easily shown his friend the picture of the woman instead of describing her but somehow he felt that the snapshot was meant for his crimson eyes only. He didn't want anyone to catch a glimpse of this mysterious brunette until he finds her. He was being possessive of someone he didn't even know.

"Oh, you mean someone who looks like her?" Koko voiced as he point his finger to the picture he was presently holding.

"What are you sayi-"

Needless to say, Natsume was dumbfounded by this photo that he grabbed from Koko.

It was a typical candid photo of the wedding shot next to the grand piano. The faces at the center of the photograph were foreign to him but what made our photographer speechless was the lady playing those melodious notes that fluttered through the nuptials - **the pianist**. She was, without doubt, the woman that forbade him from having long and comfortable sleeps. The one whom he was desperately looking for because of reasons that words weren't enough to convey.

"It's her." These words finally made its way out of Nasume's lips.

"See? Aren't you glad you're my friend? Doing something like this is a piece of cake for someone like me!" Koko said wearing his proud face and obviously flaunting his luck.

"Tch. I have to admit, sometimes you can be helpful." He responded plainly. This was Natsume's way of saying thank you. For the 21 years of his existence, not one 'thank you' escaped from his mouth. His friends knew about this but they weren't bothered because they knew Natsume was never good at expressing himself.

"Yeah and by now I think I deserve to be hailed Koko-sama!"

"Don't push it." was Natsume's stern and cold reply. And just like that the cheery atmosphere was buried. "Tell Ruka I'll be the one to deliver the pictures later."

"Yes Natsume-sama!" Koko teasingly stated as he went out of Natsume's apartment.

Natsume was indeed a step closer to finding the brunette. Now that he knew that she was the pianist at the wedding, it was only a matter of time before he'd find her and that made his blood pump like crazy. Calling him excited was definitely an understatement.

After finishing the day's work, he went off to his first clue…

_Ruka's house._

* * *

"Hey Ruka! I'm on my way to your house so you better be home when I get there." Natsume said with a threatening but jovial tone in his voice to the answering machine that had answered his call instead of his bestfriend. It just proved that Ruka was indeed busy, but he couldn't stop himself from being selfish especially now that he was getting close to knowing this brunette. He was just so happy that he couldn't wipe this smile that resided on his face. Indeed, Natsume Hyuuga couldn't stop his lips from curving a smile.

The time passed quickly and he was already nearing his best friend's place. It was as if even time wanted him to meet with the lady right away.

*_ring ring_*

Natsume quickly answered his phone anticipating that the caller was his best friend.

"Ruka, I'm ten minu-"

"Natsume!" a high-pitched tone escaped from the other line of the call. No, it was definitely not his best friend. The voice sounded dangerously familiar and he knew who _she_ was before even looking at the caller's name.

_Haru Hyuuga, his mother._

"At last you finally decided to answer my call! Do you even know how long it has been since you last spoke to us? Your father and sister are very worried about you! You should've at least e-mailed or something if you don't have the time to call us!" the voice sounded anxious and happy at the same time.

"I'm sorry mom." He replied flatly. He regretted answering his phone. He knew what his mom wanted him to do and there was no way he would grant her request.

"It's alright honey, just make sure you won't do it next time. You had us all worried!" She paused for a while before continuing, "Natsume, your dad wants to see you."

With that statement, Natsume's mood completely altered. He knew that the word 'see'actually meant 'come back home' and help run the family business. His family started a small company in the US and it was currently expanding which was why Natsume was needed there. True, his parents were against him being a photographer at first but they had no choice but to accept their son's decision. No one can stop him once his mind is already made up.

"I told you mom, I'm not going back there." His voice sounded firm and decided.

"Now now Natsume, even Aoi misses you! Come on honey, just a week would do!"

'_What a witch!'_ Natsume thought. He recognized the fact that his mom knew he cared for his sister very much so she decided to use her against him. _Aoi was his parents' ace card._

"This conversation is nonsense. I'm hanging up." He cut the call and turned off his phone. He didn't know how to respond to his mother's last sentence so ending the call was his best option.

He decided to cancel his visit to Ruka's house and parked somewhere near a children's playground. There was no way he'd let his best friend see him in this state, down and disappointed.

* * *

Natsume sat at one of the playground's benches as he watched the children play. He reminisced on how he would play on one of those swings with his sister when they were little. In contrast to their _poor_ relationship now, his family was pretty close back then. Though he seemed cold and indifferent on the outside about family matters, he missed the times when his parents were considerate and supportive. He didn't know how it all ended up like this. Him running away and almost losing connection to his family was something he never thought he could do. He hated to admit that even though his parents were like that, he still cared for them. But everything was different now and he knew that.

As if the whole thing was not already as bad as it is, it started raining hard. Natsume didn't care anymore; he didn't run nor seek for shelter. He let the rain devour him as he kept pondering on his memories and emotions.

For minutes, he stared at the pavement, watching the rain furiously envelop the already damp ground.

As he noticed the truancy of the raindrops from his skin, he felt an uninvited presence.

"Umm... Are you ok? Do you want to share with my umbrella?" A soft, puzzled voice asked him.

When he turned his gaze to the sound that disturbed his thoughts, enticing amber eyes met his crimson ones.

Again, he felt his heart leaped.

He couldn't control himself from staring at the lady before him nor couldn't he believe that the one he was desperately searching for was right before his very eyes. It definitely took him by surprise.

The brunette's presence made Natsume's entire dilemma flush down with the pouring rain. He stared at the brunette who had a quizzical look on her face before answering...

"Yes," he saw her lips curve a small smile as he stood by her side under the umbrella.

"Sorry for intruding."

* * *

_Author's note: Thank you for reading and reviewing my first chapter! It was overwhelming and motivating, didn't expect to receive that much reviews. Thank you very much! _\(^o^)/ _I hope you continue to support this XD Please review ;D_


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:** Gakuen Alice is not mine, unfortunately.

Note: Slightly OOC.

Chapter 3: Cakes

* * *

"Why the heck are you making that creepy smile when you're just taking pictures of automobiles, Natsume?" Ruka teasingly told his best friend. It was a rare sight indeed to see Natsume's smile that's why he would always mock it as creepy. He only catches a glimpse of it when he is out shooting landscapes. Never did he see him curve a smile just by taking photographs of synthetic objects which was, most likely, forced onto him by greedy magazines who takes advantage of his best friend's financial troubles. "I know you found your brunette but seriously, that odd smile on your face will haunt me tonight."

The photographer stopped shooting pictures and glanced at a pink umbrella placed on top of the table as he turned his head towards Ruka's direction. "You should be honored to be haunted by my handsome face." He cockily responded. He wouldn't let Ruka's comment ruin his good mood and he was far too pleased to be bothered by a stupid remark.

As his best friend said, Natsume's facial muscles were not very cooperative today. He didn't know why but it seemed that a miniature smile decided to live on his face without his consent. Maybe it started to reside there yesterday. Yes, yesterday – the day he found the brunette he was looking for. Though it was more like…

_the day she found him._

_

* * *

_"_Yes," he saw her lips curve a small smile as he stood by her side under the umbrella._

_"Sorry for intruding."_

_They walked past the playground and past Natsume's car. Of course the brunette didn't know about the car but it was the opposite for the photographer. He could have just stopped there and went home using his car but that was an option that never popped in his mind. All his attention was fully consumed by the young lady beside him. Every little gesture and sound she made was etched into his mind. _

"_Uhmm… err… so where do you live?" the brunette finally broke the silence._

"_Huh? What?"He was caught off guard by the sudden question thrown at him. He clearly understood her query but he was too surprised that the lady wanted to know where he lived. He was pleased and embarrassed at the same time._

"_Your house? Where do you live? I need to know where we should go so that I can walk you home." She paused for a while and looked at the rain. "I can't possibly drop you off somewhere in the middle of this pouring rain." She finished._

"_Ahh, I see" Natsume tried to stop the tone of disappointment crawling out from his voice. He was giving multiple meanings to the young lady's kindness and he felt stupid for what he did. "But I think it would be more appropriate that I escort you home. I'm a guy." He declared sternly as he pointed his finger to his face._

"_Uhm… but I can't ask you that much. I mean you're wet and you might even get sick! My conscience will haunt me every night if I let a stranger get sick on my account." The young lady defended in a low and troubled voice._

"_Hn. And my ego would eat me alive if I let you walk me home. So just agree with me, ok? Think of it as my form of gratitude for letting me share this umbrella with you." Natsume said. He sounded very determined and honest. There was no way he would let this brunette escort him home. His pride would not allow anyone to pity him, let alone this young woman whom he had come to 'like'. _

"_I'm not sure." The brunette muttered."Oh ok, but I'll only let you escort me two blocks away from my house. It's this deal or I'll definitely accompany you home!" _

_Natsume hesitated first before answering in a low and defeated voice "Okay."._

_Time passed by quickly as they walked through the rain engulfed by the noisy raindrops it produced. It was a silent trip because Natsume was far too busy observing the brunette next to him to even start a normal conversation._

"_Oh, so here is my stop." A cheery voice, once again, broke the silence. The brunette swiftly stood before Natsume and shot a smile at him as she was gesturing her goodbye._

"_Hey, are you sure it's fine for me to let you go home alone? You could be the one getting colds." Natsume lectured the lady that was about to run towards the pouring rain._

"_I'm sure I can handle myself. Thanks… .err… mister!"Again another smile shot at Natume. _

"_Natsume. You can call me Natsume." _

"_Oh. Then thank you Natsume!" The brunette said._

"_You're welcome miss." The photographer mockingly said, imitating her gesture a while ago. _

"_It's Mikan. Sakura Mikan." She corrected._

"_Ok Mikan. So, how about your umbrella? What am I supposed to do with it?" _

"_Hmm... you could keep it. Make sure you won't forget to bring yours next time, ok? Well then, goodbye Natsume!" the brunette said as she run towards the heavy rain._

"_See you soon." Natsume said as he watched the retreating figure of the young woman._

'_We'll definitely see each other soon.' He thought as he headed towards his house. _

'_Mikan.'_

_

* * *

  
_

"Yeah Natsume, quit making that goofy smile. Ah! And before I forget, did you ask for her phone number or something? You know, just in case you want to ask her for a date." Koko smirked as he waited for his friend's response. It's not every day that he gets to mock Natsume like this and he sure is making the most out of it today.

"Haha! Yeah Natsume, do you have any means of reaching her?" Ruka grinned as he rode on Koko's joke.

The photographer didn't reply and just continued with his job. The two bursted into laughter when they understood the meaning of Natsume's silence.

"I can't believe you didn't even ask for her cell phone number! I mean, you were frantically looking for her, right? Geez Natsume, are you losing your touch?" Koko rambled on with his ridicule.

"Do you want my _fist_ to touch your head?" Natsume stated as he sent a glare towards Koko.

"Haha! Chill Natsume. You don't have to take it seriously." Ruka disrupted his friends' conversation. "How about we go out and have some fun? It's been a while since us guys hanged out, right?"

"Hmm… nice idea Ruka, Natsume you better come, ok? I'll try to contact Yuu." Koko excitedly announced as he grabbed his cell phone.

"Hn. Ok, but this ought to be worth my time." The raven-haired young man agreed.

* * *

_**GOODIES AND CAKES**_

"What the?!" Natsume asked, bewildered by the name of the restaurant they were about to enter. "So this is your idea of fun?" Natsume unbelievingly questioned his best friend.

"Well, the rest of us wanted to have something different and sweet so we thought that this place would be good." Ruka defended.

"Yeah and isn't it fun to eat sweets when you're happy?" Koko added.

Natsume flinched at the word Koko used. "Again with the word fun. I'm starting to think twice about hanging out with you people."

"Come on, give it a chance." Yuu, who just arrived, convincingly pleaded.

"Hn." Was the only reply the raven-haired young man gave as he entered the restaurant and headed towards their table.

He didn't complain anymore, knowing that most of his friends are there; maybe it would actually be fun_._

When they finished ordering their food, Natsume noticed that he was still wearing his camera. He forgot to take it off before they left his workplace. And since his studio was just few blocks from the restaurant, he thought of just walking his way there so his precious SLR would be free from possible scratches and damages.

"Hey–"

*_ring ring_*

Ruka looked at his ringing mobile phone.

"Oh it's Hotaru, I have to answer this one." Ruka made his way outside the restaurant and answered the call from his girlfriend.

After a few minutes, the waiter came and served their food. For a group of four people, they sure ordered lots of cakes. They started eating and noticed Ruka was walking towards their table with an ominous look.

"I'm sorry guys, I have to go ahead. Hotaru told me to take her to the mall; she's buying a gift or something for her best friend's graduation recital. I don't get her, it's just November and she wants to buy a graduation gift already!" Ruka sighed as he told his friends this unexpected news.

"Wow. I have to say, Ruka, your girlfriend is one heck of a slave driver." Natsume stated flatly.

It was not surprising that Ruka didn't argue with his girlfriend's selfishness. She had always been the boss and Ruka never did anything about it. He loves her just the way she is and though their relationship is strange for other people, he wouldn't want it any other way.

"I'm really sorry about this and don't worry guys, I'll treat you all next time." Ruka smiled as he shrugged a goodbye.

"Tch. Well at least there are still three of us here." The photographer voiced out as he shoved a piece of cake into his mouth.

"Yeah. Good thing I'm still here or this place would've been gloomville." Koko flattered himself.

*_ring ring_*

Koko's and Yuu's cell phone rang simultaneously.

"Tch. You guys should really stop bringing your phones when we hang out." Natsume said with an irritated tone.

"Sorry man, I have to answer this one." Yuu apologetically announced. "It's my professor."

"Yeah me, too. I have to answer this." Koko gulped as he tried to tell Natsume who the caller was. "It's my mom." He whispered.

Natsume tried to hold in his laughter at what Koko said. He was mocking him the whole day and now he was terribly shaking from just receiving a call from his mother.

While his friends were out taking the calls from their own 'bosses', Natsume pondered on his meeting with the brunette…with Mikan. He remembered how she smiled at him and how concerned and modest she was. He wanted to see her again and talk to her normally.

"Uhmm Natsume…" Yuu disturbed his thoughts. "I think I have to go. My professor told me to go back to the academy; we will start practicing for our own performances this coming graduation. I hope you understand this." Yuu explained as he motioned a bow.

"Me too Natsume, I have to get home quickly." Koko looked sweaty and troubled. "My mom wants me around. I think she misses me." He obviously lied.

"Great. After being dragged here to this _fun_ place, you all decide to ditch me." The photographer said as he tried to hide the frustration he was feeling from the treatment his friends are giving him.

"You know Natsume, if you like this restaurant so much, you just have to say so. I promise to take you here again." Koko tried to make his friend laugh. He knew they were being unfair to him but the situation didn't leave them with much option. Again, Koko's sensitive side came out.

"Tch." He ignored Koko's side comment. "It's alright I'm about to go home anyways. I'll just wait for the bill and leave." What he said was true, he was about to leave earlier but he forgot about it because of the pestering phone calls.

"I'm really sorry about this…Well, I have to go." Yuu said as he headed for the door.

"Yeah, me too. It's not my fault my mom misses me every now and then. Bye Natsume!" Koko gestured a wave and followed Yuu.

The photographer sighed. He didn't like being alone but he knew he had no choice since his friends were all busy. He asked the waiter for the bill so he could depart for home already. But after a few seconds, his frustration seemed to morph to tenseness as he heard a voice he swore never to forget.

"I think I'll have a blueberry cheesecake, a Classic Chocolate Souffle and my favorite strawberry shortcake." An excited but sweet voice told the waiter.

'_Mikan_'He thought.

The voice he heard came from none other than the brunette. Even at a great distance, he was confident he could distinguish her voice.

When the waiter came, he paid for their food and headed straight to Mikan's table. There was no way he would let an opportunity like this slip. He wanted to talk to her and this was the perfect timing. It now seemed that his friends' act of 'vanishing' was a setting molded by fate.

"Hey." Natsume greeted the lady who was looking outside the window.

The lady turned her gaze to the man who spoke to her.

"Hey!" She replied as she curved her lips into a bright smile.

'_I never thought we would meet this soon.'_

_

* * *

_

Author's note:

_Many thanks to the people who read and reviewed this story. Thank you guys so much for appreciating this story so far and I hope you'll do so until the end. Please send me your comments, suggestions and reactions if you have any. (lol feels like I'm selling a product XD)  
_

_Thanks again and I hope you enjoyed this chapter! \^o^/  
_


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: **Gakuen Alice is not mine, unfortunately.

_Note_: Slightly OOC

Chapter 4: Cinderella

"_Hey." Natsume greeted the lady who was looking outside the window._

_The lady turned her gaze to the man who spoke to her._

"_Hey!" She replied as she curved her lips into a bright smile._

_

* * *

_

"Mind if I sit here?"

"Of course not, please sit!" Was the lady's cheerful reply. "It's surprising to see you here, Hyuuga-san."

'_Hyuuga-san? What the heck, didn't I tell her to call me Natsume?'_

"Natsume," He corrected. "It's fine to call me Natsume. Yeah, what a coincidence." The photographer added.

"Hmm… If you'd ask me, I think you're stalking me." Mikan teasingly said.

Natsume was taken aback by what she said. He became rather stiff and nervous inside. But being himself, putting on a pokerface was very simple.

"Isn't it the other way around? I figured you wanted me to find you since you left me your umbrella." Natsume uttered with a smirk. "Playing Cinderella, aren't we?"

"Hey—"

"Here you go, Mi-chan." The waiter successfully interrupted the brunette's outburst.

When she saw the cakes before her, her mood changed drastically. She immediately calmed down before flashing a smile to the waiter and saying, "Thank you, Jun-kun."

'_What the? Mi-chan?! Who the hell is Mi-chan and Jun-kun? Are they close or something? And why is she smiling stupidly for this waiter?_' Natsume was never a nosy person, but of course Mikan was an exception to the rule. She had _become_ an exception.

"No problem," Jun answered back. "Hey Mi-chan, is he your _boyfriend_? I'm hurt; I thought we were _going out_."

'_Going out?!_'

Jun was a twenty year old, dark-violet haired guy with purple eyes. He had a tall stature and slim built, definitely one of the probable reasons why many girls prefer this cake shop. He gave off a cool-guy type of aura.

"Pfft… Boyfriend?! Who? Him?" She uttered as she pointed a finger to the photographer's direction. "You know I'll only go out with you… to the supermarket." Then cries of laughter were heard from the two.

'_The hell, was the joke supposed to be THAT funny? Was that even a joke in the first place? Are they idiots or what?_' He thought to himself but he couldn't deny the relieved feeling that crawled up to him.

"Hey Junnosuke! Quit slacking off and deliver this food to the next table," his fellow waiter called.

"Oops I gotta go and work. See you at school Mi-chan and nice meeting you… Err... Mikan's friend-san." Jun said before leaving.

"Your classmate?" Natsume asked as his gaze was still pinned on the guy that had just left their table.

"Yup. He's quite famous in our school."

Natsume observed Mikan as she stared at her cakes. He found it fascinating how the cakes were able to change her mood so fast. A while ago, she was ready to strangle him, but now her eyes were like twinkling stars.

'_How childish._' He chuckled to himself.

"For a little girl like you, you sure ordered a lot." He taunted her once more.

"Hmph… I didn't think you'd be this annoying!" She irritatingly said.

Again, he chuckled to himself. He didn't know why but he found bickering with Mikan rather amusing. It was especially entertaining to watch her change expressions. He couldn't stop himself from 'bullying' her although he knew that the lady before him was starting to become irritated.

"Anyway, what are you doing here? Aren't guys supposed to find cake shops gay? OH! Don't tell me you're–"

Natsume abruptly stood up to cut her off before she could say something INCREDIBLY ridiculous. His right hand made its way to the brunette's loose hair, whose eyes were now filled with wonder and surprise, and tossed it gently to the back of her ear before _lessening the gap between their faces._

"Does this look gay to you?" He whispered in her ear with a velvet voice.

Mikan, with eyes wide in shock, felt something stingy in her chest by the man's gesture. Before she could even express her protest, the man had already withdrawn.

"You should really start eating all those cakes; you're drooling all over the table."

"I am not!"

The action was something that bolted from the blue, even raven-haired man himself didn't think that he would be able to do something like that. But he couldn't also deny that he felt somewhat happy when he saw the young lady's flustered look that she failed to conceal.

She paused for a moment when her eyes landed on the camera hanging from the young man's neck. "Hey _Natsume_, are you a photographer?"

_Karma._

It was now Natsume's turn to feel embarrassed. That one word that escaped for the brunette's mouth was enough to make him feel uncomfortable. Hearing her say his name was something he never thought would cause that much effect on him.

"Natsume? Hello~ I'm talking to you!" Mikan said who was looking worriedly at his eyes, trying to snap him out of his trance.

The raven-haired young man shifted his gaze from the brunette's amber eyes. He knew that if he wouldn't, she'd definitely see the faint blush painted on his face.

"Yes." He was finally able to calm himself down and answer the young lady's question.

"Wow! That's great!" She said excitedly.

"Hn. How about you? What's keeping you busy?" he asked, feigning ignorance.

"Me? I'm a student in a music school," She paused then shoved another piece of cake into her mouth. "I'm learning how to play the piano."

The young lady was busy digging in her cakes when Natsume, who had been staring at her for quite a while now, noticed that there was an icing on one of the brunette's cheeks.

'_Childish AND clumsy._' He thought.

He was about to tell her about her _clumsiness_ when he remembered his camera.

_*click*_

"Eh?!" She was surprised and confused by the young man's sudden action.

"Clumsy girl, you have icing on you cheeks," Natsume leaned towards her and wiped the icing off her anxious face.

"Then why did you have to take a picture of me?!" Mikan blurted out as she felt self-conscious over her clumsiness, not to mention Natsume's abrupt gesture.

Natsume licked the icing off his hand and responded, "Hmm… this cake is not bad at all."

The sight of the young man's actions made her feel something familiar. Whatever it may be, she was quite sure it was something she wasn't ready to pour thoughts into yet.

"Hmph... Are you a pervert or what? If you want a cake so badly then why don't you buy yourself one?" She said trying to shake off the feeling.

"Why should I buy when there are already three of them on the table?" He replied then got a fork, speared it through one of the brunette's cake and shoved it into his mouth.

"Hey! That's mine you know," the brunette pouted. "Anyways, you said you're a photographer, right? What kind of pictures do you shoot?" She sounded very curious and interested. Being a pianist herself, she understands how it feels to have something you are passionate about.

"Landscapes."

"Really? That's amazing! So, why landscapes?"

"I think lots of people don't appreciate the sceneries that surrounds us…it's different for me. When I go on trips and see those panoramas by myself, I don't know why but I feel refreshed. There's something about them that can make me go on forever just by looking at them." Natsume's eyes were very calm when he stated that.

Every time he would talk about photography or sights that he shoots, he would be rather talkative. His love for his job is something very obvious. It's like there's a different Natsume whenever this was the topic and the brunette was not oblivious to the fact.

"I completely understand that feeling. That's exactly how I feel when I'm playing the piano. It seems like my worries disappear whenever my fingers create such harmonious melodies."

They continued to talk about their passions, never failing to notice the softness in each others' eyes. Having something you are so serious and dedicated about was definitely one thing they had in common. Natsume didn't seem to be as annoying and irritating as he was few minutes ago and Mikan started to develop respect for the individual before him.

'_He's not as bad as I thought.' _

'_She's better than I thought._'

*_ring ring_*

'_Stupid cell phone!_' He cursed.

"Hey do you mind if I go and answer this call first?" He frustratingly said.

"Sure sure." She answered honestly.

Natsume left _their_ table and answered his phone.

"Hello?" The photographer uttered.

"Yes, Hello? Is this Hyuuga-san?" An unfamiliar voice answered Natsume's greeting.

"Yes."

"Good afternoon Hyuuga-san, this is the Hiroki from the _Be entertained_ magazine."

"Ok, what do you want from me? I don't remember having anything to do with your magazine." He began to sound irritated.

"Ah, about that. My friend told me about you. He said you take great pictures."

"And?" he said without concealing the sound of impatience from his voice.

"I'm sorry for suddenly calling like this but could you be so kind enough to be the photographer for my article?"

"Didn't your loquacious friend tell you that I am a _landscape_ photographer?"

"Yeah he did mention that but he also said that you sometimes accept other jobs. Please Hyuuga-san, I need someone to photograph my pianist."

'_Wait, did he say pianist?_' His mentally asked himself.

"Pianist? What exactly do you want me to do?" He suddenly became interested.

"Well, my article is about young pianists that are excelling in their profession. I just want you to take pictures of the pianist while she is playing."

"Hmm… I think I could waste my time on it," The voice on the other end of the call sounded very pleased with the news. "But on one condition."

"Eh? Condition?"

"Yes, one condition."

"Ok ok. What would be your condition?"

"I'll get to choose the model." He plainly declared.

"What?! Hmm…I guess it would be fine."

Of course He didn't like taking pictures aside from sceneries, but this was an offerthat he couldn't get himself to refuse. This job seemed like an opportunity for him to know the brunette more.

_It was the perfect excuse to see her again. _

"Good. So when's the shoot?"

"I'll e-mail you the details later. Thank you Hyuuga-san! You didn't know how you saved my life!"

"Hn. Ok is there anything else? I'm hanging up now."

"Ok. Thanks again Hyuuga-san!"

Natsume ended the call and headed straight to the brunette's table. He found her done eating her cakes and is now waiting for him patiently.

"I'm sorry; the call lasted longer than expected." He said as he took a sit.

"No it's alright," she smiled in reply. "Was the call about your job?"

"Actually, it was," he paused for a while as if he was building up his confidence.

"_Hey, do you want to be my model?" _

* * *

_Author's note: hehe... Sorry for uploading this chapter late. Errr...actually I forgot about this so that's why I updated late. Sorry o.O _

_Anyways, thanks again for continuing to read this story. Please send me your comments and ideas. I really want to know what you guys are thinking so as to improve my story. ^^  
_

_I need to apologize if this chapter is a bit crappy. I don't know but I sorta didn't like this chapter...hehe...sorry. T_T_

_Hopefully I could update next week, though I doubt it since I have to start making my computer program. I only have one week to make it so good luck to me! anyways, thanks again and I hope you enjoyed this chapter! \^o^/  
_


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: Gakuen Alice is not mine, unfortunately.**

_Note: slightly OOC._

_Chapter 5: Photoshoot  
_

"_No it's alright," she smiled in reply. "Was the call about your job?"_

"_Actually, it was," he paused for a while as if he was building up his confidence. _

"_Hey, do you want to be my model?" _

_

* * *

  
_

"EHH? What?!" the brunette exclaimed. She was really shocked to hear Natsume's proposition. Being a model was something she never thought of doing. It was out of the question that the offer would soon be rejected.

"I said do you want to be my model? Sheesh, so you're deaf now?"

"Yes I heard you but what I am trying to say is, why? I mean, why me? Don't you have any other options? I don't even look good in front the camera." The brunette explained in panic.

"Of course I wouldn't have asked you if I had any other option," He lied. He knew he was being unfair and selfish but this was the only way he could spend time with her without her having suspicions. "Well, you see the reason why I thought you would be a great model for my shoot was that I needed someone to play the piano. And what would make a better model than a pianist itself right? The magazine was also having a hard time looking for someone competent enough to fill in the role, plus the deadlines are fast approaching. Come on Mikan, are you going to help me or not?" He tried to sound pleading and honest.

"So you think _I'm _competent enough?" She sounded sarcastic.

"If that's what will make you say yes then, yes."

There was a long pause of silence. Obviously, the lady was contemplating on whether to grant the photographer's request or not.

"Well, since I don't see anything wrong with it…I'll say yes."

"Really?" It was not his style to sound excited and pleased but hearing what the brunette said made him lose his cool. He failed to conceal this emotion but he didn't regret it one bit. He was _happy_ and it was as simple as that.

"Yes! But I'm warning you though; I don't know how to model."

"It's alright; you just have to play the piano for me. It's my job to make you look good."

"If you say so. Oh, When is this photo shoot anyway?"

"I still don't know. The magazine hasn't e-mailed me the details yet."

"I see. So, shall we exchange phone numbers?" The brunette uttered as she searched for her phone.

Natsume couldn't believe how this day turned out. _First,_ he accidentally saw her as he was left alone by his friends. _Second,_ she agreed to be his model. And _third, _she was the one who asked for his phone number! Really, how much luck can one guy have in a day?

* * *

Natsume smiled contently at the pictures he had developed. It was already 9 o' clock in the evening when he finished his job. He was now in his room scanning them and of course, he stared the longest at the picture of the brunette.

His room was a very simple one. Its walls were covered in black wallpaper where he posted his favorite masterpieces. There was a small desk near his bed where his laptop and camera was placed. On the desk were pictures of him and his friends, his family and definitely, the picture of the brunette when he first saw her.

The sight of _her_ made him smile inwardly. She looked shocked and _cute_ with the icing on her cheeks. This picture was so different from the first photo he shot when he saw her for the very first time. The brunette's eyes reflected the total opposite of what he had originally seen. He was wondering on how a cheerful lady like her could show a very sad expression when his thoughts were cut off by an e-mail that popped into the screen of his laptop.

_Greetings Hyuuga-san!_

_This is Hiroki from the 'Be Entertained' Magazine. _

_The following are the information about the photo shoot:_

_Date: Nov. 27_

_Time: It's up to you and your model._

_**Note: **__We will deliver the piano to your studio the day before the said date._

_If you have any questions just reply to this e-mail._

_Thank you and Good Day!_

He felt something weird about the said date, it seemed special but he couldn't quite remember why. Whatever it was, he was sure that wasn't something to make a big fuss about.

'_I guess I better inform her about these details,_' he mentally said as he took out his mobile phone and started typing a message for the brunette.

_Mikan,_

_About the shoot that I've told you, it's on the 27__th __of this month, two weeks from now._

_The place would be here, on my studio. _

_Hmm…I guess that's it._

_Goodnight._

He read the words that he had typed for the last time before finally pressing the send button. It was already 10 o'clock and he had spent the past hour just typing these few words and revising them like there was something wrong about it. He was unsure on what to say to the brunette as his _first_ message. He was indeed making a big deal out of this simple text message.

'_No one's gonna reply to that kind of message Natsume. Sleep,_' he thought as he crawled lazily to his bed. He really needed to take a break, to sleep. He had been busy the whole day and him feeling overly excited about _her_ reply isn't helping at all.

*_ring ring_*

_The beat of his phone's ring tone synchronized with his heart. _

He immediately grabbed his phone and answered the call, only to end up disappointed. Instead of who he was expecting to hear, he heard the voice of his best friend.

"Hey Natsume," Ruka greeted. "I'm sorry for ditching you last time at the cake shop. I had no choice."

"I know and it's alright," he replied monotonously. Though he was a little irritated at his friends for leaving him all alone that day, he had to hand it to them for taking him to that silly cake shop, for the chance of meeting her again.

"To make it up to you, how about we hang out on the 27th?"

"Sorry, but I'll pass," he replied softly. It's true that he liked being around his friends but he had to say no to this suggestion. Nov. 27 was already a set 'date' of him and the brunette and there was no way he'd bail out on her.

"Why? We always hang out on the 27th! Come on Natsume, why can't you come?"

'_We always hang out on the 27__th__?! What the heck is up with that date anyways?_' (lol)

"I said I can't, I have an _important_ job on that day," he calmly said.

Ruka sighed in defeat before answering, "Alright, I guess I really can't convince you."

"Hn. I have to hang up now Ruka, I'm sleepy," he was in fact starting to feel drowsy.

"Ok. Just call me if ever you change your mind."

"Believe me, I won't," he retorted first before finally ending the call.

He positioned himself comfortably on his bed and before his eyelids finally sealed his day, his phone rang again.

The photographer lazily got up and answered his phone, "Come on Ruka, could you give me some rest? I'm very sleepy."

Natsume wanted to swallow his words as soon as he recognized the voice of the caller.

"Err…I'm sorry Natsume, If you really need to sleep now then I'll just call again tomorrow. Bye bye, Sorry."

"No, it's alright. I just thought you were someone else," he responded quickly so as to stop her from pushing the end button.

"Are you sure it's alright? I can always call next time," she replied.

"I'm sure. So why did you call?" He uttered as he did his best to hide the pleased tone from his voice.

"Oh that, you see I was wondering, since the shoot is not until the 27th," she paused for a while and inhaled deeply before continuing, "Uhmm…do you want to meet up sometimes? You know, see each other during our free time?"

He removed his phone from his ears temporarily, trying to ascertain if the caller was indeed Mikan. If this was as real as he wished it was, does that mean _she_ was actually asking him out?

"What do you mean?" He softly asked. As if hiding his excitement and awkwardness isn't already as hard as it was, Mikan decided to make him suffer a little bit more.

"Y-you see, we barely know each other right? And I have to be honest with you, I'm not really too comfortable around you since we only knew each other for just a few days. So, I thought that if I was going to be your model, we should at least know each other well. I mean, so that we would both be at ease during the day of the shoot right? I know you're feeling a bit awkward around me too."

"I see," he paused first trying to absorb what the brunette was feeling, "Well, if that's what you want then it's fine with me."

"Really? Great! So text me if you have a free time so we could see each other ok?"

"Hn, Alright."

"Ok~" she sounded very cheerful that even though it was somewhat disappointing to learn what she felt towards him, she still was able to make him smile."So I guess I'll talk to you next time, goodnight Natsume!"

"Goodnight."

* * *

It was already the 27th before they knew it. As what they had agreed on, they met each other for the past two weeks. It was amazing on how fast they became close to each other. True, they bickered over almost about everything, but they knew they were having fun. They didn't have much in common but they couldn't care less, besides, just having each other around was enough.

"Good morning Natsume," the brunette said as he entered the studio.

"I'm impressed, what did you do to wake up this early?" typical greetings from Natsume Hyuuga.

"Whatever. What time do we start?"

"As soon as I finish setting this up," he said as he continued positioning his apparatus on the right places.

"I see. Hey, I forgot to ask, what piece am I going to play?" she asked while watching the photographer do his job.

"I don't know and it's not as if I can shoot the melodies too, right?"

"Hmph, you know, you're too cocky for someone who's just asking a favor," she pouted childishly.

"Hn. Just play anything you like."

"Hmmm… How about I play something you like?"

"Trying to impress me now eh?" he smirked before continuing, "I like 'fantasie impromptu' the most."

It was obvious that her eyes widened in shock, "What the?! Do you know how difficult it is to play that?!" she sighed then continued, "I really hope I can play that for you someday but can you settle on this one first?"

_River Flows In You – Yiruma_

He watched her as she positioned herself comfortably before the white grand piano. Her eyes closed momentarily and her slender fingers started pressing the keys producing a slow and relaxing melody. It awed him how she changed from her childlike behavior to someone with great deal of elegance and sophistication. For a moment there, he just stood up and stared as she swayed her body to the tune she harmoniously created. When he came back to his senses, he had the urge to start his job and capture this moment.

He had to admit that taking a photo of her now was difficult. She challenged his concentration. At first, he had a hard time doing the shoot but as he went on with his work, it actually became effortless. Her movements were so natural that she didn't seem to need his skills to actually look good in front of the camera. Before he knew it, the roll was up and she had finished her piece.

"Was I ok?" she asked with a quizzical look on her face.

"You were great. I didn't think you're this good at playing the piano," he said honestly.

She didn't know why but she felt happy of the young man's comment. Though she was used to people complimenting her talents, she felt something different when it came from the young man's lips. She was pleased and satisfied. Was it because he was being shockingly honest for the first time? Or was it something else? That, she didn't know…_she didn't want to know._

"Uhhh, thanks, I guess," Again, she paused then continued, "You know Natsume, if you would act like that more often then I think we could lessen our fights, don't you think?"

"I—"

*ding dong*

The photographer was cut off by the sound of the door bell.

'_Who the hell is it?!_' He mentally groaned.

"Hey, I think there is someone at the door," the brunette said as she looked at the door.

"Yeah genius, I can hear it too," he said with a great hint of irritation etched in his voice. No, it wasn't for the brunette but for that someone courageous enough to destroy this moment.

He forcefully dragged himself towards the door and opened it. Though after a few seconds, he immediately regretted doing so.

"Surprise! Happy birthday Natsume!" ALL of his friends were there outside his door.

He was stunned by the sight of his friends. All of them were there; it was high school all over again. He didn't know whether to feel happy or annoyed, though his mind was saying he _should _feel happy, his heart voted for annoyance unanimously.

'_Shit. No wonder Nov. 27 seemed special, it's my birthday._' He sighed as he let everyone go inside his studio.

* * *

_Author's Note: _

_let's all greet Natsume a happy birthday! XDDD I couldn't help myself from updating today because of the-oh-so-obvious reasons. I am especially sorry if this chapter turned out to be less exciting than what you guys have expected. I'm sorry since I rushed this chappie..XDDD anyways, PLEASE do say what you think about this chapter and story, like your guesses on my plot or something because I would love to know if I'm leading you to the right direction or not. anyways, please do review if you can. It is very much appreciated._

_Again, thanks to those you have continued reading this story and I hope you enjoyed this one! _

_\^o^/  
_


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: **Gakuen Alice is not mine...never will T_T

_Note: Slightly OOC_

_Chapter 6: Party_

"_Surprise! Happy birthday Natsume!" ALL of his friends were there outside his door._

'_Shit. No wonder Nov. 27 seemed special, it's my birthday.' He sighed as he let everyone in his studio._

_

* * *

  
_

Natsume temporarily became mute as he watched the crowd before him enter the studio so casually. His head nodded unconsciously as they greeted him.

And his guest.

"Hello Mikan!" Sumire exclaimed as she excitedly rushed towards the brunette.

"Yo, Mikan," Koko and Kitsuneme simultaneously greeted her.

'_Eh?!'_ The photographer wondered incredulously at the sight he was currently witnessing._ 'What the hell is going on?!'_

"Hi Sakura-san," Yuu shyly greeted the woman who was now the center of attention.

"Hey Mikan, you're here!" Ruka uttered as he went towards the lady's direction.

Natsume head was in deep, deep wonder. He was trying to interpret the situation that was making his head spin. How in the world did his friends know Mikan? Was this some kind of a joke? He couldn't believe that after all his search for the lady, all he needed to do was show her picture to _any_ of his friends then his search would be over. God must had loved making him suffer.

"Mikan, what are you doing here with Hyuuga?" Natsume's senses returned to him when an amethyst-eyed lady questioned impassively as she saw the lady her friends were crowding.

"Hyuuga?" the brunette paused first, placing her slender fingers onto her temples as if she was trying to recall something. "Ah! You mean Natsume?" she exclaimed then shifted her gaze to the photographer.

Hotaru had to admit, she was a _bit _shocked by what her best friend said. She didn't expect Mikan to know Natsume, let alone call each other by their first names.

"Yes, I mean _Natsume,_" she emphasized the name so that the photographer could very easily decipher her mockery.

"About that, you see Natsume wanted a –"

"Are you just here to blabber about nonsense or did you come here to actually celebrate my birthday?" Natsume _had_ to cut the brunette off. If she had said one more word, his pride would be seriously battered. There was no way he'd let his friends know about this 'favor' for he had never asked them even one. Asking favors was definitely not Natsume Hyuuga, and that was what he want it to be.

At least not to Mikan.

Though he had a lot of things to be anxious about, he was especially concerned about Hotaru. She was too sharp for her own good. If she heard the actual story, she'd had easily cracked Natsume's underlying scheme.

"Well it seems our Natsume really wanted a birthday party after all!" Koko cheered and the rest began to laugh.

Natsume had successfully diverted the interrogation and they all prepared for his birthday.

He always enjoyed himself whenever his friends were around, though his facial expressions would never show it.

He silently watched his friends who were doing their best designing - though it was more like destroying - his studio. He found it amusing how their efforts back-fired them. Koko was in charge of the party streamers and he was doing one hell of a poor job. Not only were the streamers oddly cut, they were also clumsily hanged. Her girlfriend would always yell and scold him but she, too, had her own weird ideas.

"Ahhh! Koko watch out!" Sumire yelled as she noticed that her boyfriend was losing balance on top of the ladder.

_*crash*_

"Ouch! You idiot I told you to watch out!" she said as she slowly tried to sit after being smashed to the ground by Koko and the ladder.

"You yelled too loud so I panicked!" Koko retorted while assisting his girlfriend to sit properly.

"So, are you saying it's my fault?" she slapped Koko's helping hand.

"Do you think I'm saying otherwise?" he mocked.

"Why you!" Sumire screamed as she charged for her boyfriend.

The couple who were in charge of the streamers were now like bickering brothers. They were tickling each other to death while the others looked at them with disbelief on how they acted too much like a child.

"How long are you guys going to flirt?" Ruka teased, "We still have tons to do."

With that, the couple stopped and continued _beautifying_ the place. Natsume shifted his gaze to where Ruka was and found him with Kitsumeme and Yuu. He was about to approach them but then he had a view on what they were doing so he decided to backed out.

Yuu, Kitsuneme and Ruka were in charge of setting the food, they sure bought a lot. There were different types of food prepared but even though there were lots of selections, bulk of it were dishes of _crabs_, which will make you think twice if the food was really for Natsume or Hotaru. Although Ruka and Yuu were pretty neat people, boys will be boys. The result of their so-called preparation was a mountain pile of food. The drinks were prepared scantily and spills could be found everywhere on the table. The foods that were commonly in different plates were placed in just a _huge _one and it was all because of Kistuneme's theory of saving time and water when they would wash the dishes after.

Disgusted with what his best friend had created, he decided to look for Mikan. After few minutes of searching, he found her with Hotaru.

He watched the two girls talked to each other so nonchalantly. He wondered how the two knew each other and why they seemed to be close friends. As he continued to look at them, he saw different expressions of Mikan which he had never seen before. She watched as she pouted, be surprised, angered and smiled. She sure made lots of different faces while talking to Hotaru. Watching them act like this made him feel something inexplicable against Hotaru.

Curiosity was eating him.

Or was it _jealousy_?

Either way, he only knew of one thing. He didn't liked what he saw. He had to know the answers to the questions that were bugging him the whole time.

'_How in the world did they know her? How in the world did they _all_ know her? '_

"Yes! Everything is perfect! Shall we start the party?" Koko disturbed his cursing.

"Which part of everything _is_ perfect?" Hotaru glared at Koko after scanning through the place.

"Err…uhmm," Koko gulped.

"Now, now guys," Ruka placed an arm over his girlfriend's shoulder trying to cool the now heating situation, "at least we have food and errr…colorful things hanged, right?"

Hotaru shrugged off Ruka's arm from her shoulder then eyed the so-called food he was talking about, "Is that what you call food?"

"Well, it looked liked one a while ago," It was his turn to gulp.

"._Real._."Hotaru emitted an evil aura that everyone just had to stand still and do whatever she was telling them. Koko, Kitsuneme, Yuu and even Ruka immediately ran out of the studio after hearing Hotaru's threat.

"Wow Hotaru, they still act like that when you threaten them," Mikan unbelievably told her best friend.

"They better do," Hotaru uttered as she glared at the guys running figures. "Hey Mikan, I forgot something in my apartment, I'll just get it first ok?"

"Do you want me to go with you?" asked Mikan worriedly.

"Nope, it's okay. Plus, birthday boy here would be lonely."

"Shut up Imai," Natsume shot a glare at Hotaru.

Hotaru went to where Natsume was and whispered, "Just don't do anything funny to the idiot here," then pointed to where Mikan was.

"Huh?" Mikan wondered why her best friend was pointing a finger at her.

"Nothing. I have to go now." Hotaru looked one last time at Mikan before heading for the door.

The room became silent as if grieving over the loss of its annoying members. But it was definitely the contrary for a certain raven-haired young man whose mind was now thanking the development of the situation.

"So, I guess it's just the two of us again," Mikan broke the silence.

"So how did you know about them?" Natsume really knew how to take advantage of the situation. He wanted answers before everybody else could notice that curiosity was killing him.

"Them?" Mikan paused for a while then answered, "Ahh… I get it, well. They're all my friends. Hotaru's my best friend for as long as I can remember and, of course, I would know her long time boyfriend Ruka,"

'_I was jealous of her best friend? Wow Natsume._' Natsume thought while he was looking intently at the brunette who was explaining everything to him.

"Sumire and Yuu are my classmates. You know, in the music school. And about Koko and Kitsuneme, I just met them last week when Sumire introduced them to me. That's it!"

"I see," that was all his mouth could give off.

"Hey! You didn't say that it's your birthday today, we could've just postponed this shoot," Mikan changed the subject.

There was a long pause before Natsume finally answered…

"I forgot."

"What?!" Mikan almost yelled incredulity. "Who in the world forgets his own birthday?"

"Me."

Mikan sighed.

"What's the big deal anyway? It's my birthday, so what?" Natsume tried to sound more worth talking to this time.

"Birthdays are important dates you know, it's the day you were born!"

"Thanks for stating the obvious," Natsume mocked.

"Hmpf, I mean you should celebrate it."

"Aren't we celebrating it now?" Natsume was really good at this.

She sighed again.

"I guess you're right," she decided that fighting with Natsume was something she was bound never to win so she dropped the topic and asked something else , "By the way Natsume, where's your family? Aren't they supposed to be here and celebrate this event with you?"

Natsume became rather stiff with her question though he did his best not to let the brunette notice it. He always became somewhat _sensitive_ when it came to family matters. Usually, he would had just ignored the question but something told him that he could trust the lady before him. He wanted to avoid her query but he just couldn't do it. He wanted to be honest with her.

"They're not here, they live in the States."

"Hmm… Why aren't you living with them?" Mikan said, still dense that she was asking about something personal. Too personal.

Natsume looked at the ground and hesitated first but he still decided to answer her, "They didn't like how I spend too much time in my photography. They disagreed but I wanted to do what I want so I, I ran away."

Awkward silence was now clouding his studio. He honestly answered her question and now he was just wondering on what her reaction would be. Would she scold him for being such a child and running away from home? Or would she convince him to go home like what his friends kept on doing.

He was still drowned in his thoughts when he felt a pair of gentle arms surrounding his body.

"_Sorry."_

The voice sounded so sincere but, at the same time, regretful.

"Sorry for forcing you to answer something you might have not wanted to talk about, sorry for being so nosy," she continued, still hugging him from behind.

"It's alright, it's not your fault anyways. I wanted to answer your question and that's all there is to it," he assured her.

"But—"

"I said it's alright," he didn't mean to sound so rude but that was just how his statement seemed. He was about to say sorry when he heard her speak again.

"If it's alright then why do you sound so lonely?" the brunette said tightening her hug.

He heard his heart thump loudly.

He was completely taken aback by what she had said. He didn't notice that he appeared so poignant since he was so confident of his mask. Though it bothered him how she knew what he was actually feeling since he had concealed his emotions perfectly, he couldn't care less about the answer anymore. Whether it was because his ability was failing him already or did she really understand him better than anyone else, he didn't concern himself any further. He was contented that she was there.

There to comfort and understand him when nobody else did.

He didn't bother replying to her question because he was confident that she already understood how he was feeling. He just let her hug him and became at home in her arms.

The scene that was happening now made him realize one important fact. A fact that he might have been denying for a long time already.

He was already deeply in love with her.

_He was in love with Mikan Sakura._

_

* * *

_

_Author's note: I'm really sorry for updating super late. i won't elaborate further since we all know and love the thing school work. *note heavy sarcasm* anyway, i hope you guys forgive me and i promise to try to update if my laziness allows me to. please review and most of all, ENJOY! \^o^/_

_happy holidays everyone!_


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Gakuen Alice.. T.T

_Note: This chappie contains large OOC's, i think. XD _

_ Uhmm... By the way, I edited chapter three because I noticed that I had created a HUGE loophole in my story so there, i repaired it. It's up to you guys if you want to re-read it but it's not really that huge. Anyways, sorry for that and on with the story!_

Chapter 7: Magazine

* * *

"_I left because I wanted to protect you." _

"_You know I wouldn't be happy without you."_

"_But I'm here now aren't I?"_

"_I love you."_

Natsume almost puked at the now kissing couple on the television. He turned off the TV almost instantly as soon as he saw the couple getting passionate with their kiss. If all couple were this mushy and cheesy, then he didn't want to be involved.

It had been a week since Natsume started watching chick flicks and romantic movies. Yes, he really _did_ watch them though he was never able to finish at least one— he always stopped at the middle when everything just falls out of place and drama starts pouring in. He wanted to _verify _if what he was feeling was indeed love but even after watching a dozen of them already, he was still clueless.

"I've had enough of these stupid films! If I watch even one more I swear I'm really gonna be sick." Natsume turned off the DVD player. Since his first plan failed, he wanted to try out plan b so he grabbed his phone.

"_Shall I call Ruka?"_ he mentally said as he stared at his mobile phone. After few minutes of staring and contemplating, he finally decided to dial his best friend's number, "_Here goes nothing._"

"Hello?"

"Yo Ruka, it's me."

"Natsume? Why'd you call? Do you need anything?"

"Yeah. Well you see, I have this friend," Natsume paused first and tried to muster enough guts before finally continuing, "who wanted to know how he could tell if he really was in love." Natsume blurted out really fast.

He patiently waited for his best friend's answer when he heard him bursting out laughter.

"Hahaha! What the heck Natsume? I've known you all my life and I know all your friends. Come on man, tell me the truth. Your 'friend' is really you, right?"

"Tch. Why'd you have to be so nosy?"

"Hahaha! Ok. So, who's the lucky girl?" his best friend said mockingly.

"Does it really matter? You'll meet her one day, just tell me how to make sure it really is..." there was an awkward silence then he finally coughed out the word _love_. He was really embarrassed of their conversation and though he thought it was gay of him to do; he still did it. He still did it _for her._

"Ok, I'll let it go this time. I'll tell you what I did to make sure I was really in love with Hotaru," Ruka sounded really serious.

'_I didn't expect that he would really take this seriously. I didn't think that this conversation would be very uncomfortable.' _Natsume mentally said.

"This one's a secret and Hotaru never knew of this," his best friend continued.

"Quit the suspense Ruka, just tell it so we can end this awkward talk." Natsume groaned. He was really getting impatient of Ruka's long entrance speech.

"Ok ok! So here it is," there was a minute of silence before he finally said his secret with _much_ confidence.

"_I consulted a magazine about love."_

The phone on Natsume's hand almost dropped when he heard his best friend's bold confession.

"It's really effective Natsume! Everything was there! I know it's embarrassing to say but it really was helpful!" Ruka tried his best to sound convincing.

Still there was a long pause.

"Hello? Natsume? Are you still there?"

"WHAT THE HECK?! I knew it. I shouldn't have asked for your help."

"But Natsume believe me, it's really—"

"Just shut up Ruka before I tell your girlfriend about your secret."

"Be grateful I even helped you!"

"Help? You call that help?"

"Well, yeah! It helped me a lot!"

"Tch. There's no use wasting my time on you. I'm hanging up."

"Hey wait!"

"What?!"

"Are you sure you won't confer with a magazine? It has tips!"

And with that, Natsume smashed his thumb to the end button.

'_Who in their right mind would consult a magazine about love?'_

--oOo--oOo--oOo--oOo--

"Here you go sir! Thank you for purchasing!" the cashier in the bookstore handed a magazine to the young photographer.

Natsume looked at the new magazine that he just bought and sighed, _'I guess my sanity took a vacation.'_

When he arrived home, he opened the magazine and started reading the heading of the article he was looking for.

_Having love problems? Well, you just bought the right magazine! _

_I know all you girls, and even guys who secretly bought this magazine, are having troubles in understanding your own feelings. _

_So being the kind love guru that I am, I shall share to you my unfathomable knowledge about LOVE~!!_

Natsume was digusted by the first paragraph. It was hard for him to believe that Ruka read something like this. '_It's not too late to close the magazine Natsume._' He thought inwardly. He was decided to close the magazine but then he realized that all his previous humiliations would have been for naught if he wouldn't continue. Though it was a big blow to his pride, he read on.

_Whew! Good thing you didn't close the magazine, shall we proceed to number 10?_

_10. You can't stop thinking about her/him._

_~ Instead, you are consumed by thoughts of her. She just pops into your head for no apparent reason, and you wonder if she thinks of you half as much as you think of wonder what she's up to and even consider calling her._

Natsume gulped. He kind of understood number 10. He remembered the times he tried to dial her number but always didn't have the courage to punch in the last number.

_9. You care about her/him._

_~ When you're in love with a woman, you want to know all about her: who she is, what she thinks, what makes her laugh. You truly care about her and her feelings._

Again he couldn't help but think about the time he looked for her. The times he wondered why she had such lonely eyes. And the feeling he got when he saw her smiling. He really wanted her to smile often.

_8. You find her/his quirks charming._

_She does and says things that make her different, and you like it. You can't quite put your finger on why, but it doesn't even matter. You like her just the way she is._

Natsume remembered their lunch at the cake shop. How she acted childish and clumsy made him smile. He remembered his birthday, when she unexpectedly became matured and caring. She had many different faces but he liked them all.

_7. You don't notice other women/men._

_Although you can't help noticing a beautiful woman when one walks by, when you're in love, some of them tend to slip under the radar, while others just pale in comparison to her. Furthermore, you don't seem to be flirting half as much as you used to._

_You are slowly realizing that she's often the only woman in the room that matters, and for some reason that suits you just fine._

'_Whew, at least this one's wrong. I don't notice women at all._' He thought.

_6. If number 7 was false for you. She's/He's still a special case isn't she? You noticed her/him._

Bull's eye. Natsume stayed silent and continued reading.

_5. You love spending time with her/him. _

_~ This one is pretty obvious but important nonetheless. You l__ook forward to seeing her__, and don't care much about what the two of you will be doing. Lately, just going for a walk with her sounds like the best way you could possibly spend an evening._

_Furthermore, when you're not together, you miss her and wish you were spending time together._

He remembered the day he asked her to be his model. He became pretty desperate to spend time with her. He himself couldn't understand why he did such a thing but there was not a single ounce of regret within him.

_4. You remembered different situations with her/him while reading the past numbers._

_Natsume blushed. _Number four caught him. Big time.

_3. You don't want any member of the opposite sex befriending her/him._

_~In fact, you want to break the neck of that someone. You're jealous._

He couldn't help but crumple some parts of the magazine as he remembered the time when there were guys trying to get close to her. He wanted them to stay away but he knew that it was not something he had the right to do.

_2. You are yourself when you're with her/him._

_~ You can carelessly laugh, be arrogant, care and you feel no restraints whenever she/he is around. You feel complete and you could care less about the world._

Natsume couldn't control the urge to nod a _yes._

_1. She/He made your heart skip a beat._

Natsume was speechless. He didn't know that a silly magazine really had answers to his doubts and questions. Amazed, he continued.

_  
_  
_And now that you've finally accepted to yourself that you're in love, what are you waiting for? Confess! Confess! Confess! And let's all have a lovey-dovey relationship! _

_-Love Guru, Narumi_

_(Read next page for tips.)_

The word _lovey-dovey_ made him throw the magazine_._

'_This love guru must definitely be gay._' He concluded.

--oOo--oOo--oOo--oOo--

Natsume sat quietly at one of his couch. He thought of what he had read earlier. He almost perfected the guide if it wasn't for number 7. Though part of his feelings were still murky, one thing was very clear to him.

_He wanted to see her. Now._

He grabbed his mobile phone and dialed Yuu's number. After a few rings, Yuu finally answered.

"Hello?"

"Yuu, it's me." He said flatly.

"Oh Natsume, what's up?"

"Nothing much. Hey, you're studying music, right?"

"Uhh… yes."

"On which university?" Natsume tried to sound not too obvious that he was excited to know his friend's answer. It's a good thing that he remembered that Yuu and Mikan went to the same university.

"My university? It's called the Alice's Music Academy."

"I see."

"Why'd you ask Natsume?"

"No particular reason. Well, catch you later Yuu."

"Ok, bye Natsume."

He ended the call and without second thoughts, he headed for his car.

He was going to Alice's Music Academy.

He was going to _her_ school.

--oOo--oOo--oOo--oOo--

'_Where is she?!_' Natsume was getting impatient. He had been waiting outside the gates of her school for more than an hour and the girls winking at him aren't helping at all. It wasn't something new to him but never did he get used to it. Their irritating stares never fail to send chills down his spine. But all these uncomfortable feelings washed away when his eyes landed on the brunette he was looking for.

She was wearing her uniform— black skirt that ended before reaching her knees, white long sleeves topped by a black vest and a blue necktie. Almost all of the girls wore the same uniform but she wore it with a certain glow that made her stand out among the rest. She always looked different from the rest of the female population, at least for him. He watched her sit down on one of the university's benches as if she was waiting for someone.

It was the perfect timing to greet her and Natsume knew that. He walked towards the bench where she was and before he was able to say hi, someone else beat him to it.

A dark-violet haired young man with matching light purple eyes approached the brunette that the photographer was supposed to greet. The young man seemed familiar but he couldn't care less. He wanted to break the bastard's arm for being so clingy. He was being too friendly to Mikan much to the photographer's liking.

The young man was making Mikan laugh and they looked like they were having a good time chatting on the bench. Natsume felt like interrupting their _moment_ but he couldn't get himself to snatch the smile away from the brunette's face. He didn't like how they were acting but he didn't want to stop her from having fun.

_He decided to walk away._

After taking a few steps towards his car, he suddenly heard a voice that he had long wanted to hear.

"Natsume?"

He wanted to pretend that he didn't hear her voice but then he couldn't get himself to ignore her call. Without much choice, he turned around and saw her walking towards him with the young guy following her.

"Wow Natsume, it's really you!"

"Yeah, I guess." He replied shortly. He wanted to end the conversation right away because he didn't want her to notice that he was feeling irritated of her companion's presence.

"What are you doing here? Are you here to see Yuu or Sumire?"

He wanted to tell her that she was the reason of his visit but he knew he would make a fool out of himself since she is already with someone else.

"Yeah, have you seen them?" He lied smoothly.

"I think they already went home. They're busy practicing for the coming graduation."

*_cough cough_*

The young man who was now standing next Mikan coughed as if trying to remind the brunette of his presence.

"Oh, right… Natsume do you remember Jun-kun?"

'_Jun-kun?_' Natsume tried to remember if he knew any annoying Jun's in his life time.

"Do you remember the time when we accidentally met in a cake shop? He was the waiter there!"

Natsume was caught off guard. How come he forgot one of those people that were written in his hit list?

"Ahh… the flirt waiter, I see." He looked mockingly at Jun.

"Hey, I'm not a flirt!" Jun disagreed.

"If you say so," Natsume was really testing Jun's patience.

"Ok, enough guys." Mikan was trying to cool down the now heating situation. "Hmm… how about we all go to the movies!"

"Huh?" Natsume and Jun blurted out at the same time.

"I said let's all watch a movie! Since you guys don't get along well and it's bothering me to see you two fight, I say we do something together!"

The two stayed silent as they stared at the brunette with disbelief.

"To the movies?" Jun looked at Natsume, "with him?" he was about to say no when the photographer interrupted him.

"Ok, let's go."

"How about you Jun? Are you coming?" Mikan smiled.

He sighed first before finally answering a yes.

"Now, off to the movie house!" the cheerful pianist exclaimed.

'_This is going to be a long day.' _Natsume mentally said.

* * *

_Author's note: Whew! At last I've finished this chapter! I wanted to update one last time before finally going back to school. T.T And I'm really sorry guys but I think I would be on hiatus until March. I don't think I can find the time to update, so there. I'm still not sure though, I may update if time pops out. Nonetheless, I hope you'll enjoy this chapter! _

_Review~ \^o^/_

_And before I forget, belated Happy New Year to All! XDDD_

*_i got some of the signs to know if you're in love from some random site i found through google. The words are not mine. ~(^.^~)_


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